FARM PLANTS AND PESTS.

Southland Times, Issue 19172, 16 February 1924, Page 10

FARM PLANTS AND PESTS.

I EARWIGS BECOMING A MENACE. ADDRESS TO NURSERYMEN. I ! An address on matters of general interj est to all nurserymen was given by Mr T. D. * Lennie, of Invercargill, president of the New | Zealand Association of Nurserymen, in the J Otago Agricult Wai and Pastoral Society’s i rooms at Dunedin on Wednesday. There wa& a fair attendance, among those present being the Hon. C. E. Statham, Mr T. K. Sidey, M.P., Mr'J. W. Munro, M.P., and Mr D. Tannock. Mr H. Christie, chairman of the Otago branch of the Association, presided, and briefly explained the object of Mr Lennie’s visit. Mr Lennie had recently completed a tour of all the principal towns in New Zealand, and had delivered interesting and instructive addresses at each place visited. IMPORTATION OF PESTS. Serious warnings have been given recently about the danger of importing insect pests with the hardwood poles procured from Australia for use in electric reticulation. The nurseryman of New Zealand are wide awake not only t.o this danger, but also to the need for checking pests already unfortunately present in the country. Mr Lennie’s remarks in a very large measure were in regard to these pests, especially the earwig and borer, and it is to be hoped that his timely words will go a long way in inducing the Government and the people of the Dominion to exercise all the energy possible in stamping out such pests. In referring to the hardwood borer, Mr Lennie said there was a danger of establishing no less than twelve injurious pests by importing hardwood poles from Australia. If those importing such timbers insisted upon the poles being stripped in Australia, this would reduce the risk very considerably. Waikato was the finest district in New Zealand for growing eucalyptus, and if these Australian poles were to be scattered all over the country the danger from pests was going to become a great menace unless proper preventive measures were taken. The earwig was spreading all over New Zealand, and unless some steps were taken immediately to deal with the pest it would soou become a grave menace to the whole country. What the Nurserymen’s Association wanted to see were great areas planted in eucalyptus trees, so that in twenty-five years, when the time for renewing hardwood poles arrived, they would have no need to go to Australia for these poles. The pest problem could best be attacked by scientific research, but unfortunately most of the best men employed in the biological division of the Department were leaving to accept better positions elsewhere. Unless the nurserymen, fruitgrowers, and farmers of the Dominion banded together and made representations to the Government, requesting that the matter of the borer pest be immediately attacked, nothing more would be done. The Government was sympathetic, but unfortunately it lacked money and science. REGISTRATION OF NURSERIES. Concerning the registration of nurseries, Mr Lennie advocated an extension with a view to including all persons growing plants for sale. It might be a little irksome, but at present it was only a half-measure. At several conferences a remit had been carried asking the Government to give effect to the request for the extension of the regulation covering the inspection of plants and registration of all growers of plants for sale and sellers. However, nothing had been done, as the Government could not bear the expense. Many of the orchards and nurseries were not inspected, and ytt clear certificates were given. Horticulture occupied the fourth position in New Zealand industries (primary products), and horticulturists should assert their rights. Referring to quarantine of plants, Mr Lennie said that the Association had been criticised regarding this matter, but he reminded them that the Association's request for strict quarantine was supported by the biological section of the Department of Agriculture and by the Cawthron Institute. If pests were to be prevented from being introduced into New Zealand, they must have quarantine, but again the Government replied that the matter was one of finance, and it would only be possible to have a modified scheme of quarantine. After referring to many other questions' and remits dealt with at the last conference of nurserymen, Mr Lennie said that the industry had not yet been elevated to the high level that it should hold, and the remuneration, received by those engaged in the industry did not sufficiently compensate them for their work. Reafforestation was a matter that should interest all citizens, and he wife in full sympathy with the idea. So far upwards of 10,000,000 trees had been produced by nurserymen connected with the Nurserymen’s Association. However, it was most unfair that the State Forest Service should compete with the private nurserymen for the supply of small lots for hedges and shelter purposes. All the same, he supported the State’s n-ational policy of afforestation. CO-OPERATION NEEDED. Speaking of the necessity of co-operation, Mr Lennie said there were at present 560 registered nurserymen in New Zealand, yet out of these only 350 were affiliated with the Society. One of the objects for which the registration was brought into being was to try and check the spread of pests. The Government inspection did not include the whole range of garden plants which were subject to blight, ,on the ground of the expense of employing additional inspectors. This -was a distinct weakness, and it was for the. Nurserymen’s Association to bring pressure to bear on the Government to provide more inspectors. Referring again to reafforestation, Mr Lennie said the Government had an undue advantage so far as the selling of trees was concerned, and was in unfair competition with the private nurserymen. The As-, sociation was .quite agreeable that the Government should take all the big business—such as lots of over 1,000 trees for reafforestation—but considered the Government should not enter into unfair competition with the private nurserymen for ordinary everyday business.